One of the major questions that has arisen in regard to building a new elementary school is about the proposed new school not including an auditorium.  What would the school and community do without an auditorium?  Why can’t the new school include an auditorium? Or, better yet, include an auditorium and a field house?

Multipurpose Room

For the elementary school, the planned multipurpose room would afford the space needed for indoor play space, sports practices and games, music programs and other all-school events. The multipurpose room would have a full-size gym with bleachers to seat 400 on one side. Movable chairs can be set up on the floor to expand seating capacity, when needed.

Malad Elementary School has a long, honored tradition of excellent music programs. From Mae Williams, who was the first music specialist when the current school was brand new, to Karen Willie to Helen Ward to Carissa Hess to Christine Smith, the music specialists have organized exceptional all-community programs for Veterans’ Day, Christmas, Grandparents’ Day, and other holidays and special events. The new school would have a music room off the multipurpose room and a lot of storage room for pianos, smaller instruments, music books and equipment. The solid wall (not merely a curtain) between the music room and the open multipurpose room will be movable so that the raised music room can become a stage for performances.

Many other school events were traditionally held in the school auditorium, although many fewer now that the high school and middle school are no longer adjacent the elementary school.  High school and junior high graduations, school plays and concerts were once held in the auditorium but have been moved to the gyms at the high school and middle school.

Community events, including political rallies and emergency meetings about wildfires, storms, and floods, have been held in the auditorium. The library, firehouse, and Event Center now can be used for those meetings. Miss Malad/Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women pageants have been held in the auditorium; organizers will have time to determine other venues, at least temporarily.

The proposed bond includes some funding for the design phase of a new auditorium. At this time, no decisions have been made about the location of a new auditorium and whether a field house will be included with the auditorium or as a separate building.

Bonding Capacity Limit

The answer to the question of why funding for an auditorium is not included in the proposed bond is simple: the limit on Oneida School District’s bonding capacity does not allow for enough money for an auditorium.  

The District’s bonding capacity of less than $30,000,000 is set by the State, based on several factors related to economic conditions of the District. The estimated cost of the new school ($25 million) plus the costs of demolition of the old school and the old high school ($2 million) leaves only $2 million in bonding capacity.  Although cost estimates for a fully functional auditorium have not been made due to the fact that a design has not yet been submitted for consideration, the cost of an auditorium and/or field house, based on similar projects in the region, would be significantly more than $2 million.

However, because the proposed bond would be paid off in three years under the district’s proposed payment schedule, the District’s bonding capacity would return as payments on the bond are made. According to Superintendent Jon Abrams, the design phase for a new auditorium/field house would begin almost immediately after the bond is passed and that new facility (or facilities) could become a reality within a very few years.

Ball Diamonds

The other $2,000,000 included in the $29,000,000 bond proposal would be used to build new baseball and softball diamonds at the high school. Instead of having to depend on City-owned ball diamonds, which can result in scheduling problems and the inability of Malad High School sometimes to host tournaments, the new diamonds would assist the high school in sustaining its excellent baseball and softball traditions. 

The new diamonds would be located directly south of Malad High School in what is now a vacant field. The school district already owns that property. Parking lots would be included near the diamonds. There is room for additional ball fields in the future, if needed. 

In order to build Oneida School District’s reputation for excellence in academics, music, and sports for years into the future, 2/3 of the voters would have to approve the proposed bond.  The election will be on Tuesday, March 14, at the Event Center.  Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Early voting will take place at the Recorder’s Office at the Courthouse from February 27 – March 10. Ballots will be mailed to Precincts 5 and 6 (Holbrook and Stone) and must be received no later than March 14.

For more information, see www.oneidaschooldistrict.com or contact Superintendent Abrams at 208-534-6080, ext. 412.  The school district is clear to remind voters that a YES vote will not increase property taxes and a NO vote will not decrease property taxes.  The bond itself is primarily an assertion by Oneida County voters that they accept the state’s added contribution to the funding of the school, without which the project would not be feasible.